Newsprint media generally have mechanical pulp and high lignin content. Because the paper stock used for newsprint undergoes less processing than in other forms of paper media, newsprint media are relatively inexpensive to manufacture and can be produced faster and more easily than other, more refined paper products. These characteristics often make newsprint media suitable and desirable for use in high volume, non-archival printing applications.
Inkjet printing is a popular approach to printing images and text on paper products. This type of printing involves the deposition of tiny droplets of liquid ink on the surface of a substrate.
The versatility and practical advantages of inkjet printing have thus far been generally unavailable to newsprint media applications due to the fact that typical inkjet inks are generally considered to be incompatible with today's common newsprint media. The liquid inkjet inks penetrate the thin newsprint media causing unacceptable strike through and low color gamut. The high pulp and lignin content of the newsprint media may also contribute to undesirable liquid ink blur. Furthermore, it has been observed that liquid ink has an increased dry time when used with untreated newsprint media than when used with other paper media, which may contribute to the smearing of printed images before the ink has dried.
Throughout the drawings, identical reference numbers designate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements.